In the Caribbean, Central and South America there are (2009) 26 countries with Anabaptist-related groups associated with Mennonite World Conference.[1] These groups reflect many different Anabaptist traditions, cultures and practices. Their languages include Creole, English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish; and they represent a wide variety of ethnic groups (including Swiss-South German, Russian, Latino, and indigenous peoples). Mennonites came to the Caribbean, Central and South America in several different waves. In the early decades of the twentieth century, Russian Mennonites seeking religious liberty arrived from Canada, and then from Russia where they fled persecution under Bolshevik and Stalinist rule. In later decades, Mennonite communities in the Caribbean, Central and South America have emerged as a result of North American and Russian Mennonite missionary efforts among indigenous peoples, and through immigration by Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups in North America seeking economic opportunities and cultural isolation.

Annotated Bibliography

This is the official website for the Agrupación Menonita Latinoamericana de Comunicaciones (Latin American Mennonite Association for Communication). The website is an excellent resource for information about the various branches of the Anabaptist church in Latin America. It includes sections describing the association and its history. Additionally, twice a month the group posts a news bulletin online. Also included on the site are links to various congregations and conferences in Latin America as well as to Anabaptist seminaries in Latin America.

Archives and Libraries

The MHL is a research level library located on Goshen College's campus in Goshen, Indiana that collects printed texts and images on topics related to the Radical Reformation, including the Anabaptists, Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish and various related groups. The MHL has many resources on Mennonite groups in the Caribbean, Central and South America. To contact the MHL email mhl@goshen.edu or call (574) 535-7418.

There are many archives and libraries throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America relating to specific countries or Anabaptist related groups. To learn more about these archives and libraries click on the country links above.